Machine for presenting sheet-like articles for easy viewing



532,331 MACHINE FOR PRESENTING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES FOR EASY VI EWING Filed Sept. 6, 1968 C. H. KRATZ Oct. 6, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR COURTNEY H. KRATZ ATT-ORN EYS Oct. 6, 1970 I C.'H. KRATZ 3,532,337

MACHINE FOR PRESENTING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES FOR EASY VIEWING Filed Sept. 6. 1968 6 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR COURTNEY KRATZ Oct. 6, 1970 c. H. KRATZ 3,532,337

MACHINE FOR PRESENTING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES FOR EASY VIEWING Filed Sept. 6, 1958 s Shet5-Sheet 5 FIG.3

mvsm'on COURTNEY H. KRATZ c. H. KRATZ Oct. 6, 1970 MACHINE FOR PRESENTING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES FOR EASY V IEWING Filed Sept. 6. 1968 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 H :MM TK N Y mE N Y T i R U 0 c C. H. KRATZ 6 shets sheet a "med Sept. 6. 1968 Il'll 'l-lulull MACHINE FOR PRESENTING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES FOR EASY VIEWING Filed Sept. 6, 1968 e Sheets-Sheet e F] G 6 INVENTOR COURTNEY H. KRATZ BY 3,532,337 MACHINE FOR PRESENTING SHEET-LIKE ARTICLES FOR EASY VIEWING Courtney I-I. Kratz, South Fort Mitchell, Ky., assignor to Cosmos Corporation, Fort Mitchell, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Filed Sept. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 758,013 Int. Cl. B65h 3/06 U.S. CI. 271-3 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a machine which enables sheet-like articles such as cards, envelopes, and the like to be presented to a viewing station for easy viewing and has means for moving the front one of such sheet-like articles away from such viewing station into an associated receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many businesses tabulate and store information regarding customers, articles of manufacture, sources of supply, and similar information on sheet-like articles such as cards, envelopes, and other substantially flat sheets. It is a problem to rapidly display and view a stack comprised of a plurality of such articles so as to enable the information contained thereon to be utilized effectively.

SUMMARY This invention provides a machine for semi-automatically presenting each sheet-like article of a stack of such articles to a viewing station of such machine to enable the information contained on each sheet-like article to be removed therefrom as desired. In addition, this invention enables each sheet-like article to be processed in a rapid and substantially foolproof manner and is capable of processing sheet-like articles of different sizes and thicknesses.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description of the embodiment thereof presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show a present preferred embodiment of this invention, in which FIG. 1 is a front elevation of one exemplary embodiment of the machine of this invention which has a supporting and viewing station for viewing a sheet-like article, such as a card, or the like, and which is particularly adapted to move each card of a stack of such cards supported by such machine away from the viewing station into an associated receptacle after information contained on each card has been obtained therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine of FIG. 1 also illustrating a manually actuated control switch which is energized to start the drive for moving means used to move each front card of a stack of such cards away from the viewing station;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view looking normally downwardly toward moving means used to move each sheet-like article away from the viewing station of the machine of FIG. 1 and particularly illustrating a switch used to stop the drive for the moving means as each front sheet-like article is moved through a controlled width passage arranged downstream of the viewing station;

FIG. 5 is a view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away, particularly illustrating a baflle utilized to nited States Patent O 3,532,337 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 turn each card from a vertical position to a substantially horizontal position so it can be received in the receptacle comprising the machine of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings wherein one exemplary embodiment of this invention is illustrated and designated generally by the reference numeral 20. The exemplary machine 20 is particularly adapted to handle a plurality of sheet-like articles, such as a stack of letters, cards, or similar sheet-like articles, which (for convenience) will hereinafter be referred to as cards, and a stack of such cards is designated generally by the reference numeral 21. Each card in the stack 21, including the front card thereof, will :be designated 'by the reference numeral 22 and only a few representative ones of such cards being thus designated.

The machine 20 has supporting means shown as an inclined chute 24 for supporting the stack 21 of cards 22 in a substantially vertical position and presenting the front card 22 for easy viewing at a card viewing and supporting station designated generally by the reference numeral 26 and which will be referred to hereinafter primarily as viewing station 26 for ease of description. Moving means indicated generally by the reference numeral 27, see FIG. 4, is provided to consecutively move each front card 22 away from viewing station 26 and hence away from the front of the stack 21 to expose the next adjoining card and enable information appearing on such adjoining card to be obtained therefrom, as desired. The upper portion of each front card is exposed as seen in FIG. 1 and the desired information is generally presented on such upper portion.

The machine 20 has a controlled width passage indicated generally by the reference numeral 30, which is defined by cooperating surfaces of structural members comprising machine 20 as will be explained in detail subsequently and the passage 30 corresponds to the thickness of each card 22 and the width of passage 30 may be controlled or adjusted so that it corresponds to such thickness to insure that only one card at a time is moved through the passage 30. The machine 20 also has a receptacle 32 which is adapted to receive each card 22 as it is moved away from the viewing station 26. The cards 22 in each stack 21 have substantially the same thickness and when it is desired to process another stack having a different thickness the passage 30 is changed or adjusted accordingly.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4-6 of the drawings wherein a drive shown on a drive shaft 40 for the moving means 27 of machine 20 is illustrated. The drive shaft 40 is driven by a motor shown as an electric drive motor 34, which is provided with electrical power through a line 38 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) from a suitable source, and the drive motor 34 is mounted on the base 35 of machine 20 in any suitable manner. Once it is desired to place machine 20 in operation, the drive motor 34 is energized so that it runs continuously.

The machine 20 also has a drive clutch assembly 36 op-eratively connected between the drive shaft 40 and the motor 34 which is provided to couple the drive shaft 40 to the motor 34 and uncouple such shaft 40 from motor 34 as desired. The drive clutch 36 has cooperating clutch faces which are suitably brought into and out of engagement and also has a worm gear assembly 37 which engages and rotates the drive shaft 40. Once it is desired to move a front card 22 away from station 26, the drive clutch 36 is energized 'by actuating a suitable control in the form of a manually actuated switch 39 which in turn energizes the drive clutch 36 which rotates the main drive shaft 40 and drives what has been referred to as the moving means 27.

The shaft 40 comprises a portion of a drive assembly 41, see FIG. 5, which includes a pair of shafts 42 and 43 which are driven by shaft 40 in a manner as will be presently described. The shafts, 40, 42, and 43, are supported to enable free rotation thereof in a pair of support blocks 44 and 45 arranged adjacent the opposite ends of shafts 40, 42, and 43 and enabling such shafts to be rotated in a substantially frictionless manner. The support blocks 44 and 45 may be made of any suitable anti-friction material, such as Teflon, or the like.

The shaft 40 has a gear 46 suitably fixed thereto which meshes an associated idler gear 50 on one side to drive a gear 51 fixed to shaft 43 to enable rotation of shaft 43. The gear 46 meshes at its opposite side with an associated idler gear 53 which in turn engages an associated gear 54 which is suitably fixed to shaft 42 to enable rotation of shaft 42. From the above described mechanical arrangement it will be seen that the shafts 42 and 43 are rotated in the same direction as the shaft 40 and are rotated by such shaft.

The shaft 43 has a feed mechanism 56 suitably fixed to its terminal outer end and feed mechanism 56 will be referred to as a feed roller 56 which is adapted to engage each front card 22 and start movement of each card away from viewing station 26 in a manner as will be described in more detail subsequently. The shaft 40 has a first transfer mechanism which is in the form of a substantially right circular cylindrical wheel 60 fixed to its terminal outer end and the wheel 60 is adapted to engage the vertically arranged outer surface of each card 22, which is initially started by feed roller 56 and the wheel 60 moves each card 22 through the passage at a rate of speed which is determined primarily by its peripheral speed and which is in turn determined by the speed of rotation of shaft 40.

A second transfer mechanism, shown as a second substantially right circular cylindrical wheel 61 is provided and adapted to engage each card 22 as it is moved through passage 30 by wheel 60 and wheel 61 helps transfer each card 22 into the associated receptacle 32, comprising machine 20. In this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the wheel 61 also has a belt 63 which has one end suitably supported therearound and its opposite end supported around an idler wheel 64 which is supported on the base of machine 20. The pulley 63 serves to partially support and guide each card 22 toward the receptacle 32.

As will be apparent from FIG. 5 of the drawings, the gears 46, 51 and 54 of this example are of substantially equal pitch diameter; however, the pitch diameter of the idler gear 53 is different from the pitch diameter of the idler gear 50. The shaft 42 is driven by shaft through gears 46, 53, and 54 while the shaft 43 is driven by shaft 40 through gears 46, 50, and 51. Also, the maximum outside diameters of roller 56 and wheels 60 and 61 are roughly equal.

In this example of the invention each gear wheel 46, 51 and 53 has 36 teeth; and, each gear 50 and 54 has 24 teeth. From the gear arrangement illustrated in FIG. 5 and with the number of teeth in each gear as presented above it will be appreciated that the shaft 40 rotates 50 percent faster than the shaft 43. Thus, because the outside diameters of the rollers 56, 60, and 61 are roughly equal it will be appreciated that the peripheral speed of wheel 61 is approximately 50 percent faster than the peripheral speed of wheel 60 or feed roller 56.

This arrangement assures that as each card 22 is picked off by roller 56 from the viewing station 26 and moved by the first transfer wheel 60 through passage 30, as the wheel 61 engages each card 22 it is moved more rapidly away from the passage 30 than through such passage which assures that subsequent cards can be moved through the machine 20 in a nonjamming manner.

Having described the moving means defined primarily as feed roller 56 and wheels 60 and 61, the description will now proceed with a brief description of how each card 22 is moved through the machine 20. In particular, it will be seen that the stack of cards 21 is supported within inclined chute 24 so that each card is arranged substantially vertically and is urged toward the viewing station 26. As it is desired to move the front card 22 of stack 21 away from viewing station 26 the manual switch 39, which may be a hand or foot operated switch, is energized, which operates to couple the drive clutch 36 wtih worm gear 37 and rotate the main drive shaft 40. This rotation of main drive shaft 40 rotates the feed roller 56 and transfer wheels 60 and 61 to move the front card 22 away from viewing station 26. As the front card 22 is engaged by feed roller 56 it is moved so that its forward edge is urged within and through the passage 30.

The passage 30 in this example of the invention is de-' fined by a substantially right circular cylindrical surface 70 comprising transfer wheel 60 which is part of moving means 27 and a device which will be referred to as a shoe 71 having an outer surface 72. The outer surface 72 cooperates with surface 70 to define the passage 30 and as wheel 60 rotates the card is squeezed between rotating surface 70 and stationary surface 72, whereby the card is slid along and past the surface 72.

The machine 20 has means to assure that only the front card 22 of the stack 21 is moved away from viewing station 26 during each operating cycle and such means is provided as an integral part of machine 20 and comprises a switch means, such as an electrical switch 74, which is pivotally supported about a pivot 75 carried by the machine 20. The switch 74 operates an automatic shutoff means for stopping the drive for moving means 27, i.e., uncouples drive clutch 36 from main shaft 40, in a manner which will now be described.

The switch 74 has an arm 76 fixed thereto and extending therefrom which is engaged by each card 22 as it is moved through the passage 30 by the moving means, namely, the feed roller 56, and transfer wheels 60 and 61. The switch operates associated electro-mechanical circuitry to uncouple the clutch 36 and hence disconnect the main drive shaft 40 from the drive motor 34, as mentioned above. In effect, switch 74 operates an electrical circuit which is parallel to the electrical circuit of manual switch 39 and overrides the action of switch 39 to thereby uncouple the clutch 36.

Thus, it will be appreciated that as each card 22 is moved through the passage 30, the forward edge thereof engages arm 76 and pivots switch 74 about its pivot 75 to initially actuate an electrical circuit which amounts to a holding circuit and which holds the clutch 36 in its coupled position, which for each cycle was initially achieved by energizing the hand or foot switch 39. However, once the trailing edge of a particular card 22 moves through the machine so that the arm 76 moves out of engagement with the card, i.e., slides off the card, then the switch 74 returns to the position illustrated in FIG. 4, whereupon the clutch 36 is substantially simultaneously deenergized to stop the moving means 27.

It then becomes necessary to again actuate the switch 39 in the manner previously described to repeat the cycle and move the then appearing front card 22 away from the viewing station 26 and through the machine 20 into the receptacle 32.

The electrical circuitry which is utilized in association with the switch 39 as well as with the switch 74 to operate the clutch 36 may be of any suitable known construction and arrangement and essentially so that the operation of the switches 39 and 74 will be as described above.

The previously mentioned shoe 71 is pivotally supported about a pivot 80 carried by the base 35 of machine 20 and the shoe 71 is adjustable to define one side of the passage 30 so that cards, sheets, envelopes, and the like having different thicknesses may be easily passed through passage 30 merely by adjusting the shoe 71 about its pivot 80. Any suitable means may be utilized to provide such. adjustment. However, in this example of the invention an adjustable device 81 which includes a set screw 82 and has a telescoping plunger 83 is provided. The plunger or member 83 engages the shoe 71 and pivots shoe 71 about its pivot pin 80 to provide the desired adjustment. An override spring may also be operatively connected between set screw 82 and member 83, if desired, to prevent a tight jamming of cards in passage 30 and thus help protect machine against damage.

As will be apparent from the drawings, the exposed lower front surface of each card 22 is engaged first by feed roller 56, while the rear surface of each card is supported by an adjoining card 22. As each card is moved through passage the lower front surface thereof is engaged by surface 70 of cylindrical wheel 60, while its oppositely arranged rear surface is engaged by surface 72 of shoe 71. As the card is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 4, past the switch 74 with its control arm 76, the forward surface of the card 22 is engaged by the peripheral surface of wheel 61 and pulley 63, while the lower rear surface of each card 22 is supported by a backup member 85. Thus, it will be appreciated that the lower end portion of each card 22 is effectively clamped between associated cooperating members and moved through the machine 20 and into receptacle 32.

As will be seen particularly from FIG. 4 of the drawings, the adjustable shoe 71 has an inclined surface 86 provided thereon and defining a wide inlet for the passage 30 which converges toward such passage and assures smooth introduction of each card 22 into the passage 30 in a non-jamming manner. As previously indicated, the Width of the passage 30 is controlled so that it corresponds closely with the thickness of each card 22 or other sheet-like article, which is being handled by the machine 20. The inclined surface 86 is accordingly made so as to provide smooth entry of each card 22 into position and it has been found that an included angle generally of the order of degrees as measured betwen an imaginary extension of the front surface 72 of shoe 71 and inclined surface 86 has been very effective.

The feed roller 56 preferably has a plurality of four projection means or projections each designated by the reference numeral 90, see FIG. 4, which are adapted to engage each front card 22 and start movement thereof away from viewing station 26 and through the controlled Width passage 30. Although any suitable technique may be utilized to form the projections 90 on the feed roller 56, in this example of the invention the feed roller 56 is approximately square in outline. As each projection 90 moves against the front surface of a card 22 it provides an abrupt striking against such front surface and starts movement of the front card 22 toward passage 30. In addition, by providing the projections 90 about the periphery of feed roller 56, there is a tendency to vibrate the entire stack 21 of cards provided in the inclined chute 24, thereby assuring that such cards 22 move down the inclined chute and into position at the viewing station 26 for subsequent movement away from the viewing station in the manner described earlier in this specification.

As will apparent particularly from FIG. 3 of the drawing, the machine 20 has the inclined chute 24 inclined downwardly toward the viewing and card supporting station 26 and the chute is inclined at a sufficiently steep angle, as indicated by the reference numeral at 92, to assure that the weight of the stack 21 of cards 22 is effective in urging the front card 22 firmly toward the viewing station 26. In addition, a member which is an angleshaped member 93, i.e., approximately L-shaped, is pro vided and engages the rear card of the stack of cards 21 and the member 93 has a vertical leg 94 provided thereon which assures that as the cards 22 are moved downwardly along the chute 24 they are maintained in a substantially vertical position.

The member 93 also has a leg 95 which is supported along the bottom 96 of chute 24 for sliding movement. Leg 95 has a member 97 which is suitably fastened thereto and has a lower portion which extends through a slot provided in the bottom 96 so as to prevent the member 93 from cocking within the chute 24 and thus assure smooth movement thereof downwardly along the chute 24. In addition, it may be desired to make the member 97 a weighted member and/or make member 93 itself a weighted member to further assure that the cards 22 are firmly urged forward toward the viewing station 26 merely by utilizing the force of gravity acting against the cards 22 and member 93.

Although a detailed description has not been made up to this point in connection with the supporting structure utilized on machine 20 to support the front surface of each front card as it is moved into position at the viewing and supporting station 26, it will be appreciated that any suitable vertically arranged structure may be provided so that portions of the front surface of the front card 22 and hence the entire stack 21 is supoprted thereagainst. FIG. 3 illustrates the exemplary vertically arranged supporting structure 100 comprising a part of viewing station 26 and which is used on the machine 20 to support the front card 22 and stack 21 in the manner mentioned in this paragraph. Each card 22 is supported at station 26 in a substantially vertical position so that once the moving means 27 is started the projections provided on feed roll 56 engage the forward surface of the front card 22 at the viewing station and start such card through the controlled width passage 30 in the manner previously described.

As explained above, each card 22 is positioned and held in a substantially vertical position as it is moved by the moving means through the machine 20. The machine 20 also has a baffie 102, see FIGS. 1 and 7, which is adapted to receive a card 22 in a vertical position and change the position of such card from a vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, whereby each card 22 is then dropped after it is rotated by the baffle 102 into the receptacle 32. The baffle 102 has arcuate surface means 103 provided thereon so as to provide a smooth transition of the card 22 from the vertical to the approximately horizontal position.

The switch 74 with its arms 76 was previously described in detail; however, it will be appreciated that the switch is provided for pivoting movement about its pivot 75 so that it has optimum sensitivity. Also, it will be appreciated that the switch is constructed and positioned on the machine so that it is normally urged toward the outer periphery of the transfer wheels 60 and 61. As the front edge of a given card 22 engages arm 76 the switch 74 is easily moved clockwise about its pivot 75, as viewed in FIG. 4. As the rear edge of such card moves past arm 7 6 the switch 74 returns immediately to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 whereby the switch deenergizes the clutch 36 to simultaneously stop rotation of the feed roller 56 and transfer wheels 60 and 61.

Having made a detailed presentation of one exemplary machine 20 of this invention, a general description will now be made as a review of the operation of machine 20. Thus it will be appreciated that a stack 21 of sheet-like articles such as cards, envelopes, and the like is inserted in position within inclined chute 24 in the manner previously described. The inclined chute 24 is constructed and arranged so that the force of gravity acting on the stack 21 of cards 22 and upon the member 93- provided against the rear surface of the stack of cards urges such cards 22 toward a viewing and supporting station 26. With the cards in position a main switch 105, see FIG. 4, is turned on so as to supply electrical power through line 38 to the machine 20 and motor 34 whereupon the motor 34 is now running continuously. A front card 22 is now supported in a vertical position by components of machine 20 comprising viewing and supporting station 26 and after the desired information is obtained from such card the operator of the machine 20 actuates switch 39 whereupon the clutch 36 is coupled and the moving means 27 is started.

Upon starting the moving means 27 the feed roller 56 engages the front surface of the front card 22 to move such card toward passage 30 whereupon the card is picked up by the transfer wheel of) and is moved through the passage 39. As the card 22 moves to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, the forward edge thereof engages arm 76 of switch 74, thereby actuating switch '74, which completes, in effect, a holding circuit to maintain the clutch 36 previously energized by switch 39 in its coupled position and hence keep the moving means 27 operating. The forward edge of that particular front card 22 which engaged arm 76 and actuated switch 74 continues and engages transfer wheel 61 and such transfer wheel 61 moves at a peripheral speed which is considerably greater than the peripheral speed of wheel 60, whereupon the card 22 is moved comparatively more rapidly away from passage 30 and hence rapidly away from switch 74 and arm 76. As the trailing edge of the particular card 22 being moved away moves past switch 74 the arm 76 slides off card 22 and the switch 74 returns to the position illustrated in FIG. 4, whereupon a circuit is completed which deenergizes the drive clutch 36 and stops the main drive 40 and hence the moving means 27. The operation is repeated merely by again actuating switch 39 and the cycle is repeated as desired until all the cards are processed through the machine 26.

It will be appraceiated that it may be desired to process cards, envelopes, or other like articles having different thicknesses, and in such instances it is a simple matter to merely change the adjustment of set screw 82 to change the setting on the width of the passage 30 and thereby enable the processing of the particular thickness article.

Although from the above description the feed roller 56, transfer wheels 60 and 61, are driven by a common drive motor, it will be appreciated that in some applications of this invention it may be desirable not to drive all three of these units from a common drive assembly. For example, it may be desirable to drive the transfer wheel 61 from a seaparate source which is operatively connected for cooperation with a feed roller 56 and transfer wheel 60.

Each of the members 56, 60, and 61 comprising the moving means 27 preferably have a peripheral surface made of a yieldable material such as hard rubber, plastic, and the like. Also, such outer surface is preferably a friction surface which provided a gripping action against each card 22 and helps move each card through the machine 20.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention and methods of practicing the same, have been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for moving a front sheet-like article of a stack of such articles each having substantially the same thickness away from said stack, said machine comprising, a viewing station, supporting the front article of said stack so that it is in a substantially vertical position, supporting means for supporting said stack of articles in a substantially vertical position and presenting each front article for easy viewing at said viewing station, moving means positioned adjacent a horizontal edge of a vertical lane surface of said front article and leaving unobstructed the balance of the vertical face of said front article for consecutively moving each front article away from said viewing station in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the vertical plane of the front article of the stack, and a device cooperating with a unit of said moving means to define a controlled width passage which corresponds to said thickness to assure that only one article at a time is moved by said moving means through said passage, said moving means being selectively operator initiated for moving said front article from the stack following viewing and switch means actuated by each front article moved from said viewing station for stopping said moving means from feeding the next front article.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said device comprises a shoe pivotally supported on said machine and being adjustable to define one side of said passage which may be varied to receive articles of different thicknesses.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 2 in which said shoe has an inclined surface provided thereon defining a wide inlet which converges toward said passage and assures smooth introduction of each article into said passage.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising, a drive for said moving means, said drive being actuated to start said moving means and move each front article away from said viewing station, and said switch means stopping said drive and moving means as each front article is moved completely away from said viewing station.

5. A machine as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a receptacle for receiving each front article after it is moved through said passage and in which said moving means comprises a feed mechanism for engaging and initially moving said front article away from said stack, a first transfer mechanism adapted to receive and continue the movement of each article through said passage, and a second transfer mechanism which receives each article from said first mechanism and moves each article rapidly toward said receptacle.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said supporting means comprises a downwardly inclined chute and further comprising a member supported by said inclined chute and engaging the rear article of said stack, said inclined chute being positioned so that the weight of said stack of articles and said member urge the front article of said stack toward said viewing station.

7. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which each front article is maintained in a vertical position as it is moved by said moving means away from said viewing station and further comprising a receptacle for receiving each front article after it is moved through said passage, and a baffie positioned between said passage and said receptacle so that after each front article is moved through said passage by said moving means it is urged into engagement with said baflle which turns each card from a vertical to a horizontal position to provide a substantially horizontal stacking thereof in said receptacle.

8. A machine for moving a front sheet-like article of a stack of such articles each having substantially the same thickness away from said stack, said machine comprising, a viewing station supporting the front article of said stack so that it is in a substantially vertical position, supporting means for supporting said stack of articles in a substantially vertical position and presenting each front article for easy viewing at said viewing station, moving means for consecutively moving each front article away from said viewing station, a drive for said moving means, a control for starting said drive to start said moving means and move each front article away from said viewing station, a device cooperating with a unit of said moving means to define a controlled width passage which corresponds to said thickness to assure that only one article at a time is moved by said moving means through said passage, a switch pivotally supported on said machine and having an arm extending therefrom which is engaged by each front article as it is moved through said passage by said moving means, said switch operating to stop said drive as each article is moved through said passage requiring that said drive be started again by again actuating said control to repeat the cycle and enable each front article to be consecutively moved away from said viewing station, and a receptacle for receiving each front article thus moved away from said viewing station.

9. A machine as set forth in claim 8 in which said device comprises a shoe pivotally supported on said machine and being adjustable to define one side of said passage which may be varied to receive articles of different thicknesses, said shoe having an inclined surface provided thereon defining a wide inlet which converges toward said passage and assures smooth introduction of each article into said passage.

10. A machine as set forth in claim 9 in which said moving means comprises a feed mechanism for engaging and initially moving said front article away from said stack, a first transfer mechanism for moving each front article through said passage, and a second transfer mechanism which receives each article from said first mechanism and moves each article rapidly toward said receptacle.

11. A machine as set forth in claim 10 in which said feed mechanism comprises a feed roller, said first transfer mechanism comprises a substantially cylindrical wheel having an outer cylindrical surface which cooperates with said shoe to define said passage.

12. A machine as set forth in claim 10 in which said feed mechanism comprises a feed roller, said first transfer mechanism comprises a substantially cylindrical wheel having an outer cylindrical surface which cooperates with said shoe to define said passage, and said second transfer mechanism comprises a second wheel which moves each article at a more rapid speed away from said passage than the speed thereof through said passage.

13. A machine as set forth in claim 12 in which said roller has a plurality of peripheral projections adapted to engage each front article and start movement thereof away from said viewing station.

14. A machine as set forth in claim 12 in which said second wheel has a peripheral speed approximately 50 percent faster than the peripheral speed of said first wheel thereby enabling movement of each article away from said passage means at a speed approximately percent greater than the movement thereof through such passage means.

15. A machine as set forth in claim 12 in which said feed roller, said first wheel, and said second wheel are coupled together through a gear train assembly, said drive comprises a drive shaft which drives said gear train assembly, and further comprising a drive motor for driving said drive shaft.

16. A machine as set forth in claim 15 in which said drive motor comprises a motor which operates continuously upon starting said machine and further comprising a drive clutch operatively connected between said drive shaft and said drive motor, and said control comprises a manually operated switch for energizing said drive clutch to couple said drive shaft with respect to said drive motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,314 4/1913 Lynch 271-34 2,269,571 1/1942 Aktabowski 271-39 2,812,179 11/1957 Gleason 271-39 2,970,360 2/1961 Cabell et al.

3,086,772 4/1963 Vogel 271-35 3,108,801 10/1963 Van Dalen 271-34 X 3,137,499 6/ 1964 Maidment 271-71 3,159,396 12/1964 Barber 271-34 3,210,073 10/1965 Godlewski 271-36 3,219,339 11/1965 Gutierrez 271-34 X 3,422,251 1/1969 Gray 271-61 X GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner R. J. SPAR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

